big brown horse
Hoof In Mouth
From Sunset mag:
Tomato and Herb Salad with Fresh Chive Cheese
This is the salad to make with tomatoes from the farmer's market or your backyard, ideally when they're still warm from the sun.
2 lbs. assorted vine-ripened tomatoes
12 to 14 slices Fresh Chive Cheese (recipe follows) or mozzarella
About 1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp honey
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 to 3 sprigs of marjoram, plus flowers if any
10 to 12 basil leaves, plus flowers if any
1. Slice the tomatoes; leave small tomatoes whole, or cut into wedges or halves. Arrange on a platter with cheese.
2. In a small bowl, whisk 1 tsp. salt, the vinegar, and honey until salt is dissolved; whisk in olive oil. Spoon over tomatoes.
3. Strip marjoram leaves and flowers from sprigs onto salad. With kitchen scissors, snip basil leaves and flowers over tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt to taste.
Fresh Chive Cheese:
Making this cheese involves kneading the curds into a satiny, moist "dough". Roll it into a log shape, chill it, and then slice it into rounds. The method is based on one for the Indian cheese called chenna, which we found in Ricki Carrol's Home Cheese Making (Storey Publishing, 2002)
1 gal. whole milk (not ultra-pasteurized)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from 4-5 large lemons)
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 tbsp. coarsely chopped chives
1. In a large, heavy pot, heat milk to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, stirring often to prevent scorching (about 30 min). As soon as it boils, remoave from heat and drizzle in lemon juice, stirring slowly and gently. Keep stirring until solid white curds seperate from greenish white, translucent liquid whey. (If whey is still milky instead of clear, return to heat until whey is clear.) Let sit until curds have settled below whey, about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, line a large colander with cheesecloth and set in sink. Pour curds into colander and rince gently with luke warm water for 5 seconds. Gather cheesecloth up over curds and gently twist to squeeze out excess liquid (it will still be dripping).
3. Put a plate on cheese cloth-wrapped curds and top with a 5-lb weight. Let drain 45 minutes. (At this point it may still be dripping a bit; but this is ok.)
4. Unwrap cheese and put in bowl of stand mixer with dough hook attachment with salt and chives. (You can also kneed by hand.) Beat cheese on medium-low speed or knead it until silky looking and no longer grainy (similar to cream cheese), 10-12 minutes.
5. Roll cheese into a 2-in. thick log and wrap in waxed paper and then plastic wrap. Refrigerate until cold and firm, at least 1 hour.
I think even I can do this!!
Tomato and Herb Salad with Fresh Chive Cheese
This is the salad to make with tomatoes from the farmer's market or your backyard, ideally when they're still warm from the sun.
2 lbs. assorted vine-ripened tomatoes
12 to 14 slices Fresh Chive Cheese (recipe follows) or mozzarella
About 1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp honey
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 to 3 sprigs of marjoram, plus flowers if any
10 to 12 basil leaves, plus flowers if any
1. Slice the tomatoes; leave small tomatoes whole, or cut into wedges or halves. Arrange on a platter with cheese.
2. In a small bowl, whisk 1 tsp. salt, the vinegar, and honey until salt is dissolved; whisk in olive oil. Spoon over tomatoes.
3. Strip marjoram leaves and flowers from sprigs onto salad. With kitchen scissors, snip basil leaves and flowers over tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt to taste.
Fresh Chive Cheese:
Making this cheese involves kneading the curds into a satiny, moist "dough". Roll it into a log shape, chill it, and then slice it into rounds. The method is based on one for the Indian cheese called chenna, which we found in Ricki Carrol's Home Cheese Making (Storey Publishing, 2002)
1 gal. whole milk (not ultra-pasteurized)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from 4-5 large lemons)
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 tbsp. coarsely chopped chives
1. In a large, heavy pot, heat milk to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, stirring often to prevent scorching (about 30 min). As soon as it boils, remoave from heat and drizzle in lemon juice, stirring slowly and gently. Keep stirring until solid white curds seperate from greenish white, translucent liquid whey. (If whey is still milky instead of clear, return to heat until whey is clear.) Let sit until curds have settled below whey, about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, line a large colander with cheesecloth and set in sink. Pour curds into colander and rince gently with luke warm water for 5 seconds. Gather cheesecloth up over curds and gently twist to squeeze out excess liquid (it will still be dripping).
3. Put a plate on cheese cloth-wrapped curds and top with a 5-lb weight. Let drain 45 minutes. (At this point it may still be dripping a bit; but this is ok.)
4. Unwrap cheese and put in bowl of stand mixer with dough hook attachment with salt and chives. (You can also kneed by hand.) Beat cheese on medium-low speed or knead it until silky looking and no longer grainy (similar to cream cheese), 10-12 minutes.
5. Roll cheese into a 2-in. thick log and wrap in waxed paper and then plastic wrap. Refrigerate until cold and firm, at least 1 hour.
I think even I can do this!!
